Which of the following statements is true regarding gravitational potential energy?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
Which of the following statements is true regarding gravitational potential energy?
It is always positive
It can be negative
It is independent of height
It is only defined for objects at rest
Gravitational potential energy can be negative when an object is below a reference point, such as the Earth's surface.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: Which of the following statements is true regarding gravitational potential energy?
Solution: Gravitational potential energy can be negative when an object is below a reference point, such as the Earth's surface.
Steps: 4
Step 1: Understand what gravitational potential energy is. It is the energy an object has due to its position in a gravitational field.
Step 2: Know that gravitational potential energy is usually measured relative to a reference point, like the ground or the Earth's surface.
Step 3: Realize that if an object is below this reference point, its gravitational potential energy can be considered negative.
Step 4: For example, if you dig a hole below the ground level, the energy of an object at the bottom of the hole is negative compared to the ground level.
